After a couple of days on the road, we once again arrived in LaBelle on election day. The boat was in pretty good shape, so we started the re-commissioning process that is going more smoothly the 2nd time around. With a truck available to us, routine trips to town made re-provisioning easier and also let us take in some local dining and festivals.

The fuel locker in disarray

Starting Up Jr

We heard from our neighbors here in LaBelle that this was a very wet summer. Water levels in Lake Okeechobee were so high that they had to open the locks to let water flow out in order to reduce the level. Pretty big change from concerns about water so low that the waterway was closed a few years ago. At any rate, we were concerned about how much water had made its way into the boat over the summer. Although we had re-sealed a number of problem areas, there wasn't much time to prove them out while we were still on the boat in the spring. So, with a mental drum roll, we unlocked the companionway and peered inside.

It wasn't too bad.

The boat smelled OK, and the floor was dry. There was evidence that water had come in, but nothing appeared damaged by it. It's hard to say whether the water that did make it inside came from the companionway or our problem portlight, since it was centered in the Main Saloon. However, the forward compartments were dry, meaning that we had had some success in fixing those leaks.

So, we set to work pulling all of the stuff out of the interior: rudder, dinghy, outboard, boom, stackpack, bimini, enclosure, etc. We pulled out enough to get some work done on deck and then closed up the boat to fog the interior one last time. While the boat was fogging, we rigged the boom, hung the rudder, mounted the dinghy outboard. By the end of the day, the bimini was up, the dinghy was in the water, and we had the boat cleaned and outfitted enough that we could sleep down below.

East Basin Port LaBelle Marina

This was a much warmer November than last year, so we paced ourselves in restoring order over the next few days, trying to moderate what we did in the heat. However, by the end of our first week, the sails and stackpack were hung, the Nissan outboard was back in place and running, the composting head had its compost in place, and the water system was in the process of being primed for use with a heavy dose of bleach. We were close to having all the systems up and running. Cathy used up the super-chlorinated water to clean the deck and Dave used some to clean the lines that had spent a little too much time in the water. Once the tank ran dry, we filled it up again and began using the water for drinking and cooking as well. The only real surprise in all of this activity came on our 2nd day, when Cathy lifted up the seat to access the fuel locker and a wasp's nest was staring her in the face, with most of its residents at home. By nightfall, they came to an unfortunate end. There's not enough room on Jr for all of us, so they had to go.

Motor Mount support with new holes filled with epoxy

Boat Projects

We had a number of projects planned for improvements when we returned to the boat, many of which were underway before we left Hampton. The wooden block on Jr's motor mount for the Nissan looked worn and peeling, which made Dave doubt its integrity. The last thing we wanted to have happen was to lose the outboard due to a cracked motor mount support. So, after researching possible replacements from the manufacturer, which were very expensive, we decided to try making our own. With Steve's help, Dave cut 3 rectangles of 5/8” plywood to the dimensions of the existing motor mount. He then epoxied them together, and sanded the edges flush. Cathy took over and varnished the block of wood to protect it from the inevitable abuse once it was employed.

When we arrived in LaBelle, Dave removed the old board and used it to locate and drill the holes in the new block for the mounting bolts. He oversized the holes so he could fill them with epoxy and drill again, protecting the inside of the holes from the elements. Since we lacked any sophisticated wordworking tools, Dave wasn't able to exactly replicate the recessed hardware of the original installation. But with careful measuring, he was able to ensure the outboard would slip between the new bolts, which would otherwise get in the way.

Sure enough, the Nissan slid into place with only a fraction of an inch to spare either way. With so much invested, we will make sure this mount doesn't deteriorate like its predecessor.

New wood in place on motor mount

When we arrived in LaBelle, Dave removed the old board and used it to locate and drill the holes in the new block for the mounting bolts. He oversized the holes so he could fill them with epoxy and drill again, protecting the inside of the holes from the elements. Since we lacked any sophisticated wordworking tools, Dave wasn't able to exactly replicate the recessed hardware of the original installation. But with careful measuring, he was able to ensure the outboard would slip between the new bolts, which would otherwise get in the way. Sure enough, the Nissan slid into place with only a fraction of an inch to spare either way. With so much invested, we will make sure this mount doesn't deteriorate like its predecessor.

New Main Saloon fixture

Before leaving Hampton, Dave ordered some new LED light bulbs and a new fixture for the Main Saloon. We had never upgraded the fixtures in Orion Jr's head and V-berth to LED, so the new bulbs were going to fit in there. As for the Main Saloon, the existing 40 LED strip was having some bulb failures. So, the fixture was intended to replace it. Since we didn't remember exactly what the bulb bases looked like for the head and V-berth, it was a bit of luck that Dave ordered the correct bulbs to plug into these fixtures. Replacing the fixture in the Main Saloon was pretty straightforward and now the light from the new fixture is dramatically bright, allowing us to read easily under it. An improvement with the new fixture over the old is that it has a voltage regulator that allows the LED's to tolerate a large range of voltages from 8 to 30V without damage.

We stumbled across a number of activities in LaBelle that we missed last year. The first Hendry County Heritage Festival was held at the local rodeo grounds. It had a mixture of local history, craft vendors, non-profits and produce booths. From fossils to the progression of voting boxes, we learned a bit and had some good conversation and some good food. We also got to meet more of our fellow cruisers who have re-joined their boats in the marina, gathering more routinely under the trees at the marina office.

We made our annual provisioning run into Fort Myers, but this time found a new marine parts store in the Marine Trading Post, located in North Fort Myers. It was full of new and used marine parts, allowing us to locate some more hard-to-find components and supplies.

Cathy's sewing skills were in demand as she did some repairs and make a tiller cover for a neighboring boat.

So, we still have one or two more projects to complete, but Orion Jr could be ready to go at any time. In the meantime, we are enjoying the company of our neighbors and the opportunities to explore LaBelle a little more than we did last year.

Lightning-damaged catamaran

Parting ShotsA lightning storm hit the marina not long before we arrived and this catamaran took a direct hit and caught fire. Thanks to some quick action by a fellow cruiser and some local off-duty firefighters, the dock and the rest of the boats in our basin were spared. But not so with this boat, ironically named, David's Wings.